Page 19 of Blue Jean Summer

My cheeks flushed. Hayes had respectfully called me Catherine or Cath since our first run-in at the funeral. But this was intentional. A reminder that we weren’t total strangers.

Hallie appeared in the garden to clear our plates and serve dessert. Peach cobbler and homemade ice cream.

She refused to look at me, but I didn’t miss the way she silently communicated with Hayes, using sharp eyes and quick glances.

I dug my spoon into the scoop of quickly melting ice cream. “After years of cotillion and pageant training, it’s hard not to be formal. Besides, you’re nothing like what I remember. We knew each other so long ago.”

Hayes nodded. “It does feel like another lifetime, but we do have history.”

I laughed as I loaded my spoon. “I wouldn’t call being passing acquaintances ‘having history.’ ”

“Ah, but that’s where you and I disagree,” Hayes said before taking a bite. He pointed his spoon at me. “Because I distinctly remember you making me a flower crown out of dead nettles.”

I laughed. “Excuse you, I made them for your grandparents. I can’t help that your grandma had just left the house to go into town and your granddad told you to put it on your head.”

The lines around his eyes creased as he slipped me one of those rare smiles. “I’m choosing to remember that you made it just for me.”

“Have you officially moved into the estate?” I asked. “How has it been living here—you know—without your granddad?”

“I have,” Hayes said as he swirled his spoon around the ice cream. “I feel like it should be sadder than it is. I think I’d have a harder time coming to terms with him being gone if I wasn’t here.”

“I get that.”

He took a steadying breath. “It would be a lot easier if I knew the estate would stay mine.”

That took me by surprise. “What do you mean?”

“Cards on the table?” He paused a beat and took a breath. “It’s why I asked Hallie to invite you here today. There’s something I’d like to talk to you about.”

I set my spoon down, even though I was dying to finish my cobbler. “Is everything alright?”

Hayes rested his elbows on the table and clasped his hands together. “Granddad left the estate to me in his will. But there’s some…language that calls into question if I qualify to inherit it.”

“What kind of language?”

“That the estate is left to me and my spouse.” He took a deep breath. “I have to be married to keep it from going to the next of kin.”

“Which would be Lewis.”

Hayes nodded.

I wrinkled my nose. “And the executor is taking that seriously?” I scooped up another bite. “It hardly seems enforceable. You should have a lawyer take a look at it.”

“I have,” Hayes said. “I’ve gotten second and third opinions, and everyone’s saying the same thing. If I’m not married, I risk Lewis doing something rash like getting married himself so that he qualifies. He’s already filed a petition with the court to contest the will.”

“Jeez,” I muttered under my breath.

“I need a wife, Catherine,” Hayes said rather bluntly.

“Do you want me to set you up? Miss DC is a really close friend of mine. You two might hit it off.”

Steel eyes locked with mine. “I was hoping it would be you.”

The spoon fell from my hand, clattering against the fine china. Little droplets of ice cream splattered across my cheek. I couldn’t help but laugh. “Me?” I dabbed my eyes and cheek with my napkin. “You had me going there for a second. Nice dramatic pause, by the way.”

But Hayes didn’t skip a beat. “I’m serious, Cath. I have to get married. I’m not willing to risk losing the estate or having it tied up in a court case. Granddad fought to keep the valley from becoming a manufacturing complex. I will do the same.” He held his palms up. “I understand it’s a big ask.”

“A big ask?” I laughed again. “Hayes, asking to borrow money is a big ask. Asking someone to marry you to beat your brother is ludicrous.”